Jaina Solo versus Rey

In 2015 Star Wars fans returned to a galaxy far, far, away to continue the journey of the Skywalker Saga with Episode VII The Force Awakens.

In this film we are introduced to a new protagonist in the character of Rey, a nineteen year old girl who survives as a scavenger on the desert world of Jakku.

We see in Rey many reflections of the legendary Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight and hero of the Republic.

We also glimpse familiarities with Han Solo. As her journey continues, we see the potential for Rey to be an heir of the Force; but is that really who she is meant to become?

Rey also shares some stark similarities with another heroine, not so different from Rey herself.In this week’s blog, I want to introduce readers to a fan favorite from the Expanded Universe, who may have served as the inspiration for Rey.

I also want to provide readers with a comparison of the two characters, while allowing them to determine for themselves who really is an heir of the Force.

Before there was Rey

Beginning in 1993 fans were introduced to the children of Han and Leia Solo in Timothy Zahn’s novel The Last Command.

The oldest of the two children were twins, Jacen and Jaina Solo. Both children were strong in the Force, and went on to train with their uncle, the Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker.

Both of the Solo children would become Jedi Knights, with Jaina especially becoming pivotal within the new Jedi Order formed by Luke Skywalker.

It would be Jaina which in later years was forced to confront her twin brother Jacen after he turned to the dark side and became Darth Cadeus.

She would find help from an unlikely ally in Boba Fett. Aging and retired, Boba Fett used his knowledge of lightsaber combat to help Jaina attain skills that she previously did not have.

She would go on to face her brother again, and defeat him being forced to take his life. Her actions would push Jaina dangerously close to the dark side herself.

A Parallel unrivaled

Both Jaina and Rey share nearly identical qualities in that they are both intelligent and head strong, Force sensitive, skilled mechanics and pilots.

They both are also skilled with a lightsaber. They both have played with the dark side of the Force, and walked away from it. This is where the similarities seem to end; or do they?

While Jaina’s character has a twin brother, Rey apparently is an only child, whose adversary is in Ben Solo.

While Jaina has a clearly defined path and upbringing from the beginning, Rey seems to be an abandoned girl left on a desert world, almost as a slave to Unkar Plutt.

Where Jaina is a natural leader, Rey is just a simple girl who is beginning to learn how to fight.

Both women are purpose driven characters which can not only carry the plot within the story, but they themselves become a plot of sorts on their own.

Both are nearly identical, and yet different, which leads us to consider what these characters mean in the greater narrative of the Skywalker legacy?

First, regardless of Disney and Lucasfilm choosing to rebrand the Expanded Universe material as non-canonical, we will continue to have these stories with us.

They are, with the exception of a few instances, within a solid structure and timeline which is more widely accepted and enjoyed by older fans.

It is another means by which fans can enjoy the Skywalker legacy, which continues far beyond the stories told in the original trilogy.

Jaina’s story is just as tangible as Rey’s, having recently been released by Hasbro as an action figure in it’s Black Series line.

Both the reception of fans to the figure, as well as it’s unforseen sales were a welcome surprise to Hasbro’s marketing team.

The figure ended up selling more units than they anticipated. That one factor speaks volumes from the fan base. I should know, I own two of them!

With Rey, we see many possibilities, and few if any facts. Disney and Lucasfilm have used her character to fuel the fire so to speak in order to attract a newer, younger generation of fans.

They specifically have marketed her to young girls. They have used her character to play upon the feminist agenda and movement, and to great effect. What they have failed to do with Rey is give us hope.

Hope in what you ask? Hope in a new generation of Skywalkers who would carry on the ways of the Force.

At every opportunity they have denied Rey’s lineage, and even denied that Rey is a Jedi Knight. If not a Jedi, then what is she?

Rey has remained a mysterious plot device, which could very well having a far more negative effect upon the franchise in the future.

In my opinion Disney and Lucasfilm should have accepted the Expanded Universe material as George Lucas had, and used these existing charcters to continue the Skywalker Legacy.

It would have made for an emotional tipping point in Star Wars history, and been a far better means to honor the writers who have devoted their lives to this franchise.

Rey’s story will continue with Episode XI, and perhaps then all of the loose and tangled threads of the sequel trilogy will come together to form a more satisfying conclusion.

As for Jaina, we may never know if she served as the inspiration for Rey’s character, but what is apparent is that though they share similarities, they are worlds apart.

Perhaps one day we’ll learn that it was Jaina that was meant to be in George Lucas’ sequel trilogy. If so, I can only imagine where she would have taken us.